TNAG-0979-FCO40-1198-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 109

CONFIDENTIAL

BRIEF FOR THE MEETING WITH THE HOME SECRETARY ON NEW NATIONALITY LAW

CITIZENSHIP OF COLONIAL BELONGERS

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POINTS TO MAKE

1. Colonies can expect the new Act to provide satisfactory

citizenship for them just as much as the UK does.

2. For political reasons we have had to rule out the Colonies'

preference for shared status with UK belongers or separate

citizenships for each Colony.

3. Unsatisfactory citizenship title rubs salt into wound still

remaining from subjection to UK immigration control in 1962.

4. We need to retain the confidence of people in Hong Kong,

Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands and Belize in the light of relations

with China, Spain, Argentina and Guatemala.

5. Retention of British Subject would be positive contribution

emphasising links with UK and minimum change. Strong

representations from Hong Kong on this.

6. No conflict with proposal to abandon use of British Subject

as synonym for Commonwealth Citizen. Gives more sense to meaning-

of British Subject.

7. No real risk of additional immigration complications:

distinctive citizenships would predominate.

8.

[If necessary] British Subject might be retained for only

the first two categories.

9.

[If necessary]

the White Paper.

Suggest that this [8] might be tried out in

CONFIDENTIAL